Card sorters can handle from 500 to 2000 cards per minute (the sorters with the faster rates use photoelectric read systems and vacuum card transports).
Card sorters read portions of each card that is passed through them (and in some cases compare certain data on the card with data programmed into the sorter), and then route the cards to separate bins or pockets in accordance with the nature of the data contained on the card. For example, if it is desired to determine the relative seniority of a group of servicemen, punched cards containing extracts of each man's service record can be fed to a card sorter. The sorter can be programmed to read those columns on the card that indicate years of service. The sorter transports the cards indicating 30 years of service into the first bin, 25 years of service into the second bin, etc.
